Vials containing medication under pressure



July 29, 1958 I D. GABRI EL 2,845,067

VIALS CONTAINING MEDICATION UNDER PRESSURE Filed July 1, 1955 Ticrl- Ti:1 Z: ZS

INVENTOR. DANIEL GHBRIEL United States Patent VIALS CON TAININ GMEDECATION PRESSURE Daniel Gabriel, Bonny Blue, Va.

Application July 1, 1955, Serial No."519,482 8 Claims. (Cl. 128-,-218)UNDER This invention relates to vials or containers for supply ofmedication to physicians for use in conjunction with hypodermic needleunits of a special design, whereby the medication contained in the vialcan be directly transmitted to the body through the use of theneedleunit by simply piercing the closure stopper of the vial with one endportion of the needle of said unit,.so..as to expose the same to theinterior of the vial, thereby automatically facilitating discharge ofthe entirecontents from the vial by the pressure contained in the vial.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a vial of thecharacter described, having means for positioning and alining the samein a hypodermic needle unit of special design, as well as means fornormally retaining the vial in inoperative position, preparatory toapplying pressure to the vial in the operation of piercing the stopperby the needle of said hypodermic unit.

The novel features of the invention will be best :un- .derstood from thefollowing description, when takento- .gether with the accompanyingdrawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are \disclosed:and, in which, the separate parts are designated vbysuitable referencecharacters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side and sectional View ,ofa needle unit and vial, showingthe same in normal position, prior to piercing the vial.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detailed view .of ,part of the structureshown in'Fig. 1, illustrating the .vial in the pierced position.

Fig.3 is a partial enlarged section on the line 3-.-.3-of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modification.

For the purpose of illustrating one adaptation andmuse of my invention.I have shown, at 10, a hypodermic needle unit, comprising a cylinderpart 11 and a needle part 12, the latter having a threaded stud portion13 in threadedengagement with -one.end portion of the cylinder 11, asclearly shown. Outwardly of the threaded portion 13, the needle part'12'has an enlarged knurled head 14, facilitating manual rotationthereof.incoupling and uncoupling the part 12 with the .cylinderill. Arrangedcentrally and longitudinallywof the part .12 vis a :tubular hypodermicneedle 15 having a short pointedfin- :ner end 16 arranged within thecylinder 11 and .a longer :pointed outer end 17. The other endportion-of the :cylinder 11 has an enlarged knurled or roughenedfingerpiece head 18, which formsafingergrip, facilitating operation ofthe needle unit in applying the end ,portion "'17 of the needle to thebody of'the patient.

Extending from the head 18 are a pair of long guide and supporting arms19, terminating in reversely curved fingerpiece hooks 20, the latterbeing engaged by two fingers of a hand in the operation of applyingpressure of another finger, preferably the thumb, upon the closed end 21of a vial 22 containing medication, as diagrammatically illustrated at23. To further illustrate the existence of pressure within the vial, anair or pressure port of the vial 22, the vial having grooves 25 inopposed walls thereof, one of these grooves being shown in sectionaldetail in Fig. 3 of the drawing. In the construc :tion shown, thegrooves 25 are bordered by parallel spaced ribs 26 protruding from thebody portion of the vial. This construction provides a controlledassemblage of the vial 22 with the unit 10. This assemblage willmaintain the vial in proper alined position in the unit. The enlargedhead portion 18 forms a shoulder 27 at the second named'end of thecylinder and between this shoulder and the contracted end 28 of the vialis disposed a stop ring 29 of highly yieldable material. The ring maybesimply placed in position upon the shoulder 27, prior-to assemblage'ofthe vial 22 With the unit 10. However, it is preferred that the ring 29be cemented to the portion 28 to constitute a part of the vialassemblage.

Extending outwardly from the contracted end 28 of the vial is aneckportion 30, in which a rubber stopper 31 is arranged to seal thevial. The outer central portion of the-stopper has a weakened wallportion 32 facilitating the piercing of the stopper by the end 16 of theneedle 15, in the manner diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawing,so that the end 16 extends into the vial,.permitting discharge of themedication which is under pressure, the pressure being so controlled asto formofa plastic .or' other film or thin sheeting.

in the use ofmy improved hypodermic unit with vials ofthe kindunderconsideration, it will be understood that the unit 10 can besterilizedas with other instruments 'of this type and kind and, when itis :desired to apply medication, instead of utilizing the conventionaltype of syringe, including a needle-end, all that is necessary is toinsert the vial22 in the unit, in which operation, the

.vial issimply broughtto an eased position upon the ring 29 or the ring:29 upon the shoulder27; whereupon, the unit is then grasped .withat-least two fingers adjacent the vheadlli and theneedle 17 is injectedinto the patient; after which, twofingers ofa hand areplaced in thehooks 20.,and ,the thumb of said hand then applies pressure uponthe.end.21 to move the 'vial in the-direction of the needle .end 16,causing said needle .end 'topierce the weakened or thin wall portion32and enter the'vial, at which time,

the medication, .under pressure within the vial, is auto- :maticallydischarged through the needle 15 into the tion, itwill be apparent that..the.;material savings are effected to physicians in the application ofmedications and, further, considerable time of the physicians is savedin dispensing with a lot of unnecessary operations, which heretoforewere necessary to be performed before the medication could beadministered.

For purposes of description, keeping in mind general applications anduses of the invention, the vial 22 may be considered a containerelement, in which a liquid medium of any type or kind is contained underpressure, the element being so constructed as to release the pressurizedfluid under predetermined conditions or mode of uses.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing, I have shown a slightly modified form of vial22, which differs from the vial 22 simply in providing inwardly setgrooves 25' which result in slight enlargements or projections 34appearing on the interior of the vial. In other words, the inwardly setgrooves 25 will keep the arms, one of which is indicated at 19, withinperipheral boundaries of the diameter of the vial 22'. 1

The sides of the grooves 25, 25' may be said to form in the vial, guidewall portions for engagement with the arms 19, 19 in keying or retainingthe unit against displacement from the vial while at the same timepermitting longitudinal movement of the vial with respect to said unit.

With structures of the type and kind shown in Fig. 4, the area of thevial will be made sufiicicntly large to compensate for the inwardprojections 34 in order to maintain a standardized quantity ofmedication in the vial.

In some uses of the invention, the entire unit 10 can be economicallyconstructed and utilized as a disposable unit. In such uses, the meansfor detachment of the hypodermic needle can be dispensed with.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A vial for use in conjunction with hypodermic needle units of thecharacter described, said vial having a pierceable stopper normallysealing the vial and retaining a liquid under pressure within the vial,whereby, in piercing the stopper by the needle of a hypodermic needleunit, the characterized liquid is automatically discharged through theneedle of said unit, and said vial having, on opposed walls thereof,longitudinal grooves for reception of parts on said unit.

2. A vial for use in conjunction with hypodermic needle units of thecharacter described, said vial having a pierceable stopper normallysealing the vial and retaining a liquid under pressure within the vial,whereby, in piercing the stopper by the needle of a hypodermic needleunit, the characterized liquid is automatically discharged through theneedle of said unit, said vial having, on opposed walls thereof,longitudinal grooves for reception of parts on said unit, and saidgrooves being bordered by outwardly projecting spaced ribs on said via].

3. A vial for use in conjunction with hypodermic needle units of thecharacter described, said vial having a pierceable stopper normallysealing the vial and retaining a liquid under pressure within the 'vial,whereby, in piercing the stopper by the needle of a hypodermic needleunit, the characterized liquid is automatically discharged through theneedle of said unit, said vial having, on opposed walls thereof,longitudinal grooves for reception of parts on said unit, and saidgrooves being disposed within circumferential boundaries of said vial.

4. The combination with a hypodermic needle unit having a cylinder witha shoulder end and a short vial piercing needle end, of a medicinal vialcontaining pressurized medication, the vial including a stopper endnormally sealing the vial and adapted to be pierced by said short needleend, means for yieldably seating and checking the vial on said shoulder,and said vial having guide wall portions extending beyond said shoulderend engaging a projection on the unit to retain the vial againstdisplacement from said unit.

5. A hypodermicneedle unit, comprising a cylinder, 2. pair of elongatedarms extending from one end of the cylinder, a needle arranged in thecylinder and having a long end protruding beyond the other end of thecylinder and a short end arranged within the cylinder, a vial mounted inthe unit longitudinally of and between said arms, cooperative meansbetween the vial and arms for retaining the vial against lateraldisplacement from the unit, said arms having a pair of fingergripsfacilitating support of the unit in operation of pressure moving thevial in the direction of the short end of said needle in movement ofsaid short end of the needle into the vial, said vial containing apressurized liquid dischargeable through the needle of said unit whenthe needle has pierced said vial, and said cooperative means comprisinglongitudinal guide wall portions on opposed walls of the vial betweenwhich said arms are slidably mounted.

6. The combination with a vial containing a pressurized liquid andincluding a pierceable rubber stopper normally sealing the vial, of ahypodermic needle unit mounted on the stopper end portion of the vial,said vial being movable longitudinally in said unit, said unit includinga hypodermic needle projecting outwardly from the unit, said needleincluding a short inner end adapted to pierce the stopper of the vial inpressure movement of the vial in the direction of the short end of saidneedle, means checking initial movement of the vial into said unit, saidlast named means comprising a yieldable ring positioned between part ofthe vial and a shoulder in said unit, and said unit and vial havinginterengaging means keying the vial against displacement from said unit.

7. The combination with a hypodermic needle unit, including a short vialpiercing needle end, of a medicinal vial containing pressurizedmedication arranged in said vial, the vial including a stopper endnormally sealing the vial and adapted to be pierced by said short needleend, means retaining the vial against displacement from said unit, saidmeans comprising a projecting arm on said unit arranged between guidewall portions extending longitudinally of the vial, and a pressure ringdisposed between the vial and the unit in controlling movement of thevial in said unit.

8. The combination with a hypodermic needle unit, including a short vialpiercing needle end, of a medicinal vial containing pressurizedmedication arranged in said vial, the vial including a stopper endnormally sealing the vial and adapted to be pierced by said short needleend, means retaining the vial against displacement from said unit, saidmeans comprising a projecting arm on said unit arranged between guidewall portions extending longitudinally of the vial, a pressure ringdisposed between the vial end the unit in controlling movement of that:1vial in said unit, and said ring being secured to said v1 ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,594,493 BrownAug. 3, 1926 2,168,686 Saflir Aug. 8, 1939 2,378,205 Feras June 12, 19452,554,352 Ward et al. May 22, 1951 2,717,601 Brown Sept. 13, 19552,735,735 Abel Feb. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 861,539 France Oct. 28,1940

